12 Books for Leaders & Aspiring Leaders (#4-6)

Last week I wrote the first of four posts introducing you to three of twelve books that have made me a better leader and give balance to my life and leadership. Go here to see the introduction if you missed that article. [Click Here] In addition to daily Bible reading, I am sharing a list of twelve books. Admittedly the list is not exhaustive, the books are not all literary classics, and the list is broadly alphabetical and not in priority order.

Do you desire to grow in your leadership? Do you want balance in your relationships as well as skill in your leadership? If so, the first three I recommended included Boundaries by Cloud, Developing the Leader Within You by Maxwell, and Developing the Leaders Around You by Maxwell. Here are numbers four through six:

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni. The writer takes you on a fictional journey documenting the challenges of a new supervisor taking over leadership of a struggling group of employees. The book is secular, but the principles you will learn are applicable to any group, congregation, staff, or organization that aspires to function more effectively. It will be an enjoyable read, worth the time, and will improve your leadership ability if you absorb the lessons he teaches.

The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman. What has this got to do with leadership? An effective leader has a healthy balance in life and no relationship affects that balance more than the connection with your spouse. This book will strengthen your marriage, but it does more. It is important for a leader to know what motivates and inspires people. This book will not only strengthen your marriage, but will help you to be a better parent, stronger in relationships, and more skilled at leading a staff, team, and/or organization.

His Needs Her Needs: Building an Affair Proof Marriage by William F. Harley Jr. So here is the second book of twelve on marriage that I submit will strengthen your leadership. It is a classic in my opinion and should be read by singles, engaged couples, and married couples alike. Leadership rides on the rail of strong relationships. Males and females have unique needs and the book addresses specifically how those apply to a marriage, but you can draw more general clues to the leadership of the opposite gender if you have the wisdom to make appropriate application. It is worth the read simply to strengthen your marriage or to prepare you for the possibility in the future if you are single or divorced.

That’s three more books that will maximize your leadership. I have six more to go. Don’t miss next week.